Chanting pupils fail
to sway councillors
by David Skentelbery
HUNDREDS of pupils and parents failed tonight (Monday) in a bid to persuade the controlling group on Warrington Borough council to change their attitude on the proposed closure of Woolston High School.
Despite pouring rain, they demonstrated outside the Town Hall as councillors arrived for a meeting of the full council.
Early parts of the meeting were almost drowned out by chants of ?Save our School? from outside.
But a motion put by the opposition Labour group, which would have committed the council to consider further potential population increases, the views of parents in other primary schools and to hold formal talks with representatives of Woolston High was defeated by 29 votes to 23.
However, leader of the council Ian Marks and education chief Coun Sheila Woodyatt both stressed that no final decision had yet been made and that consultation was still ongoing.
Coun Marks indicated that the executive board would be prepared to meet informally with a small group representing the school. Labour leader Coun Terry O?Neill claimed the controlling group had, to all intents and purposes, already made their decision.
He said uncertainty about the future of the school was causing a ?leakage? of pupils both from the high school and its feeder primary schools.
?They are dying a death of a thousand cuts,? he said.
Pupils will lay first
bricks at new school
by David Skentelbery
PUPILS are to be given the honour of laying the first bricks at the new Stockton Heath Primary School.
A pupil from each class has been chosen to lay a brick in a wall of the new school in a special ceremony on Wednesday, October 31.
Representatives of contractors Cruden Construction and Warrington?s education chief, Coun Sheila Woodyatt will be present at the ceremony.
Cruden will donate a plaque bearing the names for each pupil who laid a brick.
The school is due to be completed in time for the new academic year in September next year. It will boast many new and improved facilities in including bigger classrooms, a dance studio, a new library and a bigger and better playground.
Some items found during the archaeological excavation that took place during the summer will be on show – including a Roman well.
Coun Woodyatt, the borough council?s executive member for children services, said: “The ceremony is a chance for the pupils of Stockton Heath Primary School to play a part in building both their new school and a better future for, pupils, parents, teacher and staff, as well as the wider community.
?The pupils at the school are well on their way to having the new, state-of-the-art school they need and deserve.”
The new school is only being built following a long battle by some residents to retain the original, 100-year-old school.
Guides rise to the challenge
by James Parr
FOUR Girl Guides from Lymm are celebrating after recently achieving the Baden-Powell Challenge.
Three girls from the 4th Lymm Guides were presented with their badges by Guides Division Commissioner, Julia Lunn and District Commissioner Alison Pennycook.
Nicola Jones, Rebecca Carroll and Siobhan Walshe, all aged 14, all took part in activities such as, visiting the RSPCA centre, organising a mini Olympics and completing their Cook and Water Rescue badges.
Sarah Longton, 15, from 2nd Oughtrington Guides had already completed her Challenge by organising events like a mini Olympics and a Ready Steady Cook competition.
Baden-Powell Challenge is the highest award the girls can achieve in the Guide section.
Up-and-coming band has
more than circus tricks
by James Parr
AN UP and coming Warrington band have been earning rave reviews from fans after a series of gigs across the North West.
Urbancircus, a five-piece band, has been expanding its fan base after performing in Manchester and Blackburn recently.
Members of the band are, Richard Washington, lead vocals, James Cannon, lead guitar, Matt Whittaker, rhythm/textured guitar, Neil Smith, bass guitar and Chris Appleton on drums.
Since Urbancircus began in 2005, they have been no strangers to success, playing at the Academy in Manchester, the Cavern Club in Liverpool and have this year been named as BBC Liverpool’s band of the month for February.
Neil and James had the original idea to form the Indie rock band and called upon the services of university friends and neighbours Richard, Matt and Chris, to form the promising young group.
Samples of the band’s creations include Invitation to Saturday Night, Travelling Man and Self Pity City.
With their pulsating guitar rhythms and gritty Indie sounds, it isn’t hard to see why people like Jimmy Hendrix, Guns and Roses and the Gallagher brothers have all been heavy influences on their music.
A Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle is not something that Matt is likely to enter into as he says he enjoys “having a bit of a sit with a brew!”
Urbancircus’ plans for next year are well under way, as their main target is to get signed by a record label and finish the album they are currently working on.
Keep bins safe
from firework yobs
by James Parr
WARRINGTON Borough Council is urging the town’s residents to be extra vigilant with their bins in the build up to bonfire night.
WBC has joined forces with Cheshire Fire and Rescue to help prevent the number of fires caused by yobs setting bins alight.
Both parties are asking residents not put their bin out until the actual day of collection, so that pranksters are left with no easy targets.
They are also suggesting that proper arrangements be made for the collection and disposal of bulky items that are too big to fit inside bins, so that they are not left out in the street for people to ignite.
The council is also concerned about the dangers of sparklers and is advising users to always wear gloves, hold it at arms length and never wave it near someone else.
Town catches the
re-cycling bug
by James Parr
RECYCLING rates in Warrington are soaring – thanks to the effort residents have made to make the town a greener place.
Borough council chiefs have recorded figures suggesting the town is streets ahead of expectations and estimates that a third of annual household waste has been recycled so far this year.
The recycling bug seems to have bitten the majority of people across the borough, with people taking advantage of council schemes that have been introduced, such as, a kerbside collection service, increased number of recycling sites in the town and the use of home composters.
Since 2004, the recycling rate in Warrington has already gone up by 300 per cent and with 2008 fast approaching, it is hoped that residents can keep the rate climbing.
The council?s executive member for Environmental Services, Brian Axcell, said: “I would like to thank all residents who have helped boost Warrington’s recycling rates – their support and effort has been a great help. However, we still need to work together to continue to increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste we produce and I hope that this improvement is just the beginning.”
